


Nightfall

by trxrai



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Canon-Typical Violence, Flashbacks, Gen, Memories, Self-Insert, Semi Self-Insert!OC, Sharingan, Uchiha, Uchiha Clan - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-27
Updated: 2021-03-05
Packaged: 2021-03-18 11:33:54
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 6,239
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29733249
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/trxrai/pseuds/trxrai
Summary: There are instances where the concept of darkness and light are blurred, but when stuck in the middle, there is nothing more than the in-between that is there, left to see.orPaths can branch with influence and he wonders if that is the reason for his existence. To change, or watch as everything slowly falls into place, as he is nothing more but an outsider.In which he is born into a world with the supposed memories of a fictional storyline-more specifically-an anime series.[Semi SI-OC, Uchiha!OC, Male!OC, Third War]..............cross posted on wattpadDisclaimer: The use of the plot, Naruto, which is a manga/anime series, pictures, and much more, that is not related to my OC or the plot I have incorporated, belong to their owners.Started - 02.27.21Completed - unknown
Comments: 4
Kudos: 21





	1. Chapter 1

01\. Dreams

He fears only the worst. Nothing is necessarily frightening per say. It does not come from the hushed whispers he hears constantly, nor does it come from the recognition of blurred faces, or the bright light he sees for the first time. What scares him the most is the unfamiliarity. 

"Uchiha Kimaru. That shall be his name."

Kimaru learns quickly that fear is a fickle thing. He hears of what happens outside of their home. How it can do no good, aside drive people to desperation. War is brewing just a few miles away from the safety of Konoha. He breathes in relief that for once, being locked in a compound isn't too bad. 

He approaches his first birthday, and his parents begin trying to conceal their worries caving in. Kimaru is not like most children from what the two of them can tell. He cries only when assistance is needed whether it is a coincidence or not. As if his cries are timed in a daily manner. There are barely attempts at gurgling words, or walking. His small habit, they first found endearing, now appeared to be off-putting. Kimaru's eyes always wandered to one of the parents if they were near, and gleamed in a way that spoke of his understanding. 

Kimaru's little celebration of living another year was cut short, when he saw the happiness that flickered through their faces, after mustering the courage to gurgle Kaa-san. He cried that day.

Kimaru has turned two, nearing three and is still plagued with weird dreams. 

He spends days that go by, thinking about the dreams, sometimes they turn into nightmares. He dreams about Konoha, but a different version. Kimaru somehow learns of what the academy is before his parents even mention a word of it to him. 

His parents find out one day that he can access chakra. They tell him he's too young to fully control it, and must learn about its concept in depth before even utilizing it. Kimaru says he can already stick a leaf on his hand from lots of practice and that he doesn't need help. They ask where he's been taught this. Kimaru tells them he learned it from a dream. 

He doesn't know how it happened, or specifically what had happened. He doesn't remember, and doesn't try to remember. All he knows is that he woke up one morning and could activate the sharingan. No matter how much chakra he pushed into his eyes after that. He couldn't activate them. He just thought of it to be a fluke, or a part of his...imagination. 

Both of his parents and the rest of the clan are ignorant to this fact, which is something that Kimaru is happy about. The rumors of a new prodigy begin circulating around. At first Kimaru believes they are talking about a certain silver-haired child that hails from the Hatake clan, but when his training begins early, as an order from the clan elders, he realizes that it is his name being spoken. 

The clan elders are informed of his progress, they are all quite pleased, and expectations begin to pile on his shoulders. 

Kimaru is sent off to go back home earlier than usual on one day. His training regimen always leaves him on a tight schedule, where lack of time is slowly becoming the norm. Knowing that, alarm picks up. The urgency of the situation must be great for his instructor to let him go even a minute early. He goes off in a sprint when realization hits him. 

He fears, and he hates the very thought of fear, yet he cannot help but let it consume his entire being. Shinobi are built to lay their lives down for the village, so fear should not be--cannot be--a concept that lives within their minds. 

The house seems vacant at first until quiet sobs are heard. 

"Kaa-san?" Kimaru whispers the words, not wanting to disturb the grief heavy in his mother's voice. 

The door creaks open revealing her face. Her eyes look dazed, and Kimaru can see the internal battle going on within her to keep the emotions away. She takes a deep breath before it hitches. She can't bring herself to look at her son, and Kimaru knows that. 

"Y-your father was sent on a longtime mission. He was-" she struggled to continue on, but managed to push the rest out of her mouth before almost collapsing to the floor, "killed in action."

Kimaru may not have realized it then, but his eyes flared red, and everything around him sharpened. His sharingan was active again, and this time, it didn't fade. 

The clan is forcing Kimaru to join the academy early. Around the same time of the Hatake, who was but a couple months older then Kimaru. It is clear to him that he must live up to the expectations set by everyone, as word has gone out to shinobi outside the clan of his prodigious. 

He is allowed to wander around the compound at times. There he hears of praises that trail after him, and comparisons set among his own clansmens' children or himself with the Hatake. 

There was always distinctive talk that went around, the deep regret of how the clan prodigy was only a distant branch member of the Uchiha. Yet, arguments would arise, countering the disgraceful remark with how despite such a young age his sharingan was already awakened. No matter how distant of an Uchiha, Kimaru was still an Uchiha and he had his eyes as proof. 

His mother was a proud woman, but with the memory of his father, she did not want him to start the academy at his age. 

Kimaru was the subject of a tug of war case, but between the clan's word and his mother's, the decision seemed unbudgeable. Everyone eventually excused his mother's words as it was spoken from a grief-stricken person, and so he joined the academy. 

. . . .

Kimaru was quite sure that Hatake Kakashi was born with that mask around his face. There was complete certainty in his mind that there was no way to remove that mask other than the wearer themselves. It was odd seeing this...smaller version of the Hatake. His dreams always portrayed him as a lazy, twenty-six year old porn reader that liked to make questionable decisions. 

He wanted to question his sanity at times. Kimaru has become very reliant on these dreams. Too much for even himself to be comfortable with. 

He cannot fully describe the feeling when visions come to him. He is told that he sometimes blanks out for long periods of time, and stares off into space no matter how much intervention is made for him to notice. Kimaru is heavily punished for this, and he learned that these are not just dreams but visions that come during the day time as well. All he can think about is how... unconventional it is, as he walks through the academy doors. 

Kimaru slightly perks up, feeling a switch in tension. People are staring at him. 

He's used to ignoring them. He does it enough in the clan compound to not have it affect him here. 

Kimaru was guided to the classroom by an older clan member who was instructed to introduce the new environment properly. He doesn't know their name, and it seems from the dismissive glance he gets every time he tries making eye contact with the Uchiha, that he doesn't want to tell him either. He can see the older grit his teeth as he forces a light smile which looks odd on his, from what Kimaru had seen, usual stoic features. 

The Uchiha turns to face Kimaru, placing a hand on the latter's shoulder while slightly crouching down, and for once Kinaru finally gets a full view of his face. "Now, Kimaru-san. You must understand that many will be looking your way. Your actions reflect upon the clan, so be sure to represent us with pride. The uchiwa fan on your back is not just for show. Wear it proudly."

"Hn. I understand." 

Kimaru takes pleasure in seeing the slight twitch that is revealed from the lack of respect in his response. 

The Uchiha pardons himself and takes his leave. Kimaru is left staring off into space in front of the new classroom. 

His eyes widen, feeling his vision tunnel, as he sees the familiar spike of grey hair. 

He can finally meet Hatake Kakashi.

. . . .

"Hello Hatake-san," Kimaru bows and can already feel the stares directed towards the two.

Kakashi grumbles a little, but Kimaru can hear the reply, "Hello, Uchiha-san."

He peers up at the taller four-year old, shocked at the display. There's a bit of respect in his tone, and it means a lot to know that he might be considered an equal. 

Kimaru trails a little behind Kakashi when walking. He can tell that special treatment has already been given. From what the instructors see today, possibly a separate evaluation allowing him to skip a month in the initial starting class, and recommendations that boost him to the following. There are indeed a lot of expectations riding on him. He's been sat down by the clan elders and disciplined thoroughly on how his behavior will represent the entirety of the Uchiha clan. 

He does so, but he plans on another route as well. 

Friends. It seems nice. A lot of Uchiha children make an attempt to befriend him in hopes of making an early-on connection with a possibly influential person in the future. He doesn't like being seen as just an asset. 

Kimaru hopes to meet Obito now. Something in the back of his mind is telling him that he must befriend him. He hears that Obito is somewhat shunned by the clan, and he wants to help with the situation. If he has the ability to make a change, he wants to make it.

His visions don't show much of Obito though. He wants to know: Does it mean that Obito will meet an unfortunate end? He hopes not. He hates hoping just has much as he hates fear. They both lead to the same origin, desperation. 

Kimaru's eyes widen when his consciousness comes back from blanking out. Obito had come crashing into the classroom screaming that he was almost late, and just when he was about to run into Kimaru, Kakashi took the decency to pull him away as Obito tripped from the sudden movement. 

"Now how about that. Some clan prodigy you are to have almost been run over by that doofus," Kakashi sighed. He let the grip around Kimaru loosen, and backed away after Kimaru gave a dazed apology. He was beginning to understand why his clan instructor always nagged him about his constant lack of attention at times.

"I- I'm sorry about that! I was helping an old lady cross the street and- and," Obito picked himself off the ground and when his eyes glimpsed the other Uchiha's face he shouted, "wait a second. H-hey aren't you that clan prodigy or something?"

Is that all people were going to mention the whole day? He stood shyly, and stiffened at the yelling. "I suppose so. Whatever you classify as a prodigy, then yes."

Kimaru looked away from the floor, remembering that eye-contact was key as a shinobi. "Are you ok? That could have been a nasty fall. Oh- and you're not really late, sensei still hasn't gone through introductions. She says they won't start until a couple minutes from now."

He receives a quick nod, but sees the shocked look from Obito's face and asks, "Are you really ok? You still seem kind of out of it."

Obito scratches the back of his neck and nervously chuckles, "It's just...I thought you'd be more, I dunno, stuck up? You seem nice though. What's your name? Mine's Obito?"

"I have to agree surprisingly. Why are you being so nice to him? I would've just-" he tripped Obito, and continued on, "let him stay there on the ground. Not our fault he can't seem to balance properly."

Kimaru didn't know how to react. Kakashi was playing nice with him. He expected to either be completely dismissed or just have a slightly agitated Kakashi against him. 

Obito jumped up this time, pointing angrily at Kakashi, "Hey! Who do you think you are? You can't just go pushing people around."

Kakashi raised an eyebrow from the statement. "If you were a true ninja then you wouldn't have even fallen in the first place. Hatake Kakashi," he introduced, "Konoha's White Fang? I'm his son."

Obito blushed at the casual remark. "I knew that. No wonder I felt like I've heard the name Hatake from somewhere. I only know him," he pointed at Kimaru, "because we're from the same clan."

"Despite the similarities in genetics, it seems that none of the brains have gone to you, has it?" Kimaru didn't even need the sharingan to see the smirk forming on Kakashi's face under the mask. What was more subtly, on the other hand, was the puff of his chest when the mention of his father came along. He was quite glad that Kakashi wasn't left alone in grief and that nothing had happened as of then. 

Obito's blush intensified, as he whirled around to where Kakashi was standing and pounced to what seemed like a form, ready to claw off Kakashi's face. 

"Maa, first day and already a fight?" Everyone's attention went to the women standing at the front of the classroom. "Get to your seats, brats or you'll be marked absent on your first day."

She slammed her clipboard down on the desk. "My name is Mori Akemi. I will be your academy instructor."

2,289 words

: chapter one end : 

OMAKE one - 

Keep the sharp, pointy weapons away  
aka  
Don't ever trust a kunai to be left in Obito's range of sight. 

[early academy days, crack-fic version, uchiha friendship chronicles]

"Obito...what happened?" Kimaru looked at the older Uchiha and his tattered clothes. His hair was flying every direction deemed humanly impossible, and his sheepish expression was not giving him any extra points with the teacher who rolled her eyes at every explanation or dare to say 'excuse' that came out of Obito's mouth. 

"Well," Obito chuckled, "I helped retrieve some princess's pet." 

"You what?" Kimaru deadpanned. 

Obito went on, "An old man needed some help with his groceries so I went with it cause I thought I had time. Then this cat came out of nowhere and started to scratch at my face! It took my goggles, so I ran after it." 

"So let me get this straight, a cat got his paws on your goggles by..." Kimaru raised his eyebrows, waiting for more detail. 

"I dunno. It just snagged my goggles!" Obito exclaimed, jumping from his seat. The teacher turned around the second she heard movement, and threw a piece of chalk that hit directly at Obito's forehead. He started to quiet down to a whisper with his story. 

"Ok," Kimaru sighed, "Believable to some point I guess."

Obito began to whisper loudly, in a bragging tone, "Apparently, the crazy cat was just running from some shinobi, so I beat them off!" 

Kimaru sighed, cutting him off. He raised his hand. "Three things Obito."

He put up one finger, "Those shinobi are most likely just Konoha genin. There is no need to 'beat them off' since they are going from the direct order of commands, and in this case they just seem to be doing a mission."

"What?!" Obito squawked, "I thought they were enemies trying to get the cat!"

Kimaru stopped him again. "Why would any enemy village want a cat of all things? Infiltration is hard, so to do so only to get a cat who most likely belongs to a civilian is unlikely."

"They told me the cat belonged to someone important!" Obito wailed. "It has to have been. It had this fancy collar and all that. Even a high-level ninja came to me for the cat too."

"Obito...I don't even know what to do with you," Kimaru sighed. "I find it barely believable that you outwitted a genin team, which again you had somehow mistaken as enemies despite the lack of evidence. I'm starting to question just how much of this story is made up."

Kimaru quirked an eyebrow at Obito's gaped expression, wanting an explanation. 

"I've never heard you speak so much!" Obito spluttered.

Kimaru twitched. "Obito. I'm going to be honest, this is one of the most creative excuses you've made to being late."

Obito gasped. "No! Bakashi is starting to rub off on you! You normally just shyly nod and listen! What happened to my cute little brother!"

"I'm not related to you outside the clan." Kimaru deadpanned. 

"But, you're like a little brother to me!" Kimaru's face flushed. He changed the subject. "I liked the story."

Obito pouted. "It's not a story though! Look!" 

He pulled out a kunai. 

Kimaru saw the kunai and said, "A kunai? You didn't mention this."

"Exactly! I was getting to it. The jonin came and gave me this for helping." He waved the kunai around, under the desk, before putting it back. 

"Who?" Kimaru questioned.

"He said his name was Minato," Obito grumbled. "Also said something about how if I ever needed help, he'd be there in a giffy. Probably was so impressed by my super-duper cool skills."

All Kimaru did was sweatdrop. 

What actually happened:

Obito had not been lying. As dawn approached, he had already been awoken, dressed, and seemingly ready that morning. 

He adjusted his goggles one last time in the mirror, before eating, and rushing out the door. On his way towards the academy, prepared to surprise everyone by full force on how early he was, he bumped into an elderly man who was carrying some groceries. In an indescribable feeling of need to help, he offered and found himself carrying them before an answer was given. 

Obtio would wave a final goodbye to the man, and plop the candy he got as a treat for helping into his mouth. In two seconds max, he found himself on the ground, and a cat scratching at his face. The days he decides to wear his goggles are good days, well normally. He would worship his goggles the next chance he got for protecting him from this cat. 

He pried the cat off of him, and threw him into the next century, or at least Obito thought he did, but in actuality, his motion of leaning back his arms to ready for a throw got the cat stuck clinging to his goggles and therefore on his back, too. 

Next thing he knew, more trouble came. 

Shinobi. Not too young, not too old, aiming for the cat. 

These shinobi, not of Obito's knowledge, were not enemy shinobi, nor were they affiliated with Konoha. It just came at the coincidence that the most Tora catching missions always came to Konoha. 

They weren't necessarily on that mission. They planned to cat-nap the cat belonging to the Daimyo's wife.

Afterall, she lost the cat so many times, and paid for who knows how many missions for this one cat. 

Then Obito came around, with Tora on his back. 

That's also when Obito learned he could run as fast as the famed Yellow Flash, or in other words, Minato Namikaze's ability with his hiraishin.

Minato comes into this story when he sees an Uchiha kid running. He doesn't see that everyday. Nobody sees that anyday. (Uchiha's are always 'graceful' afterall.)

It's also not everyday that he finds shinobi unaffiliated with Konoha...in Konoha, after a clan child. 

So, he does what any sensible person would do, he knocks them all out for interrogation. What were they doing in Konoha? How did they breach security? How did they manage to keep themselves unnoticed so long and stay in the center of the village with no apparent capture on them? More importantly, he hopes they have a fun time with the interrogation department. 

He hands the kid a kunai, tells him, "If you ever need any help, pulse some chakra into this kunai, and throw it."

Peculiar of him to think that an academy student, likely one who looks so young, even from a clan, knew how to mold and use chakra. 

Well, to give Minato the benefit of the doubt, he had been hearing of two rising stars within the village. An Uchiha was one of them. 

Obito doesn't know what the fancy looking kunai can do, but a free kunai is a free kunai. 

(In a couple months during target practice, Obito is going to know why you don't keep random kunai given to you by strangers. Minato appears, through hirashin, while trying to have his morning coffee.)

: end of omake one :

OMAKE two - 

Colors, colors, colors  
aka  
When an Uchiha gets bored and decides to play around with genjutsu 

[early academy days, crack-fic version, uchiha friendship chronicles]

"Kimaru..." Obito muttered softly. He fidgeted a bit and looked around, only to flinch and look back down at his feet. 

"Yes?" Kimaru kept picking at his food. He worriedly prodded and poked each and everything that was in the container. Kimaru was currently stuck in a tree with Obito. It wasn't his greatest moment but it could definitely be worse. He was hoping his food wasn't tampered with since today, Kimaru shuddered, not wanting to think about it anymore, was Valentine's Day. 

Obito clenched his head and shouted, "Why is the world pink?!" 

"Calm yourself Obito," Kimaru said, slightly amused. He was wondering why Obito had been so quiet the whole day. This explained it all. 

"Am I going crazy? Why is my lunch talking to me? Is it normal for dango to be mocking you?" Obito slurred the words together, and started to breathe slowly in an attempt to calm down. 

Kimaru sighed, and pushed his lunch to the side, before fully deciding to close the container and chuck it back into his bag.

He scratched the side of his head, before breaking out in a small smile. "I may or may not have casted a genjutsu on our whole class right before we left for lunch."

"Oh ok that makes sense," Obito grinned sheepishly, until it processed and he exclaimed," Wait what?!" 

Obito whined, "Why did you do it on me then, too?"

Kimaru's mouth began to twitch in a way that showed he was hiding his expression. 

"We have been training, so I just wanted to test my limits a bit," he swung his legs, before continuing on, "I also did it to Kakashi if you were wondering." 

Kimaru saw Obito light up. It's only been a couple months in the academy and he feels as if he's slowly gnawing the chains away that had bound him to the clan. He never cared about the whispers, so he figured, how much harm would it be to have even more commotion created by the fact he's befriended the Uchiha outcast. 

Kimaru knew Obito was steadily digging away at his worries. Worries for the clan. Worries for the village. Worries for when he would become a full-fledged shinobi. He felt lighter and more free. 

"Woah. I mean I just didn't think you'd do something like this," Obito mumbled, reaching for a chocolate bar that was in a bag of gifts Kimaru had received from multiple people. "Pranks just don't seem like your thing, you know? Have I really been rubbing off on you that much?" 

Kimaru chuckled. "Yeah. You have, I guess."

Obito's mouth was left wide open, as the chocolate bar in his hand dropped to the ground beneath them. He stuttered out, "You laughed. You just laughed."

"I know," Kimaru deadpanned. "The laugh came out of my mouth."

Obito got over it quite quickly and started to despair at the chocolate he had just wasted. 

Kimaru patted Obito's shoulder. "I wouldn't be too upset if I were you."

Obito huffed. "Yeah, you wouldn't. You're the one getting all these gifts."

"I said that since the chocolate was probably laced. You don't eat food given out by an unknown source," Kimaru stated as a fact, watching Obito's spirit whitter a little. 

Kimaru looked away. "What am I going to do with you once we're both shinobi?" 

Obito rolled his eyes. "I dunno? Maybe release this genjutsu?! I can't handle it anymore. I'm pretty sure I see the academy with pink sparkles and paint covered all over it."

Kimaru hummed in satisfaction. "Oh that? That's real. I'm just waiting for the instructors to notice."

Obito yelled in frustration, "I can't deal with pink anymore!"

(Later that day, he would go home to see a splotch of pink from a far distance getting closer and closer. It turns out it was Might Dai running through the whole village in a pink spandex in honor of Valentine's Day. He smiled brightly as he passed by and an illusion of a heart sparkled around the sky. Obito was so done with genjutsu for the day. He fainted.)

: end of omake two :

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First chapter. 
> 
> I know it must be weird to have omakes for the very first chapter, but this is what you’ll only be able to see of the uchiha friendship (during the beginning of the academy), cause my timeline is super messy. 
> 
> Big inspiration also goes to valxra (trashii) and the tags, cause this is my first fanfic on ao3 and the tags got me. This is also not beta’d. 
> 
> I know uchiha’s despite their nature, like to hide much emotion so for Kimaru’s mother to express so much even, may seem unnatural so…
> 
> Whelp, more plot holes, here we come! Thank you for reading.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know that the timing is a bit odd from what was left off of last time (I wasn’t joking when I said my timeline is messed up). It is meant to go like that. 
> 
> As of now, the beginning of Kimaru’s life is more like a blur of events, I suppose.
> 
> It’s a tiny bit angsty, so beware.
> 
> The novels I’ve been looking at, as of now, are giving me angst overload so…
> 
> (Got to enjoy angst to the fullest, so I’m definitely not complaining)

02\. Dawn [time skip]

"I'm afraid." Kimaru's eyes blank, he chooses to avoid the faces that will vanish one day. He's scared. He wants to leave and pretend that Konoha isn't going to send its children out to the battle field. He wants to pretend, but Kimaru can tell everything is excelating. He feels fortunate, so fortunate enough already that he lives in Konoha. 

The irony. That the safest he'll ever feel is in the very place that's going to put him to death.

"Kimaru-san, you mustn't say such things. What if other clans hear and misinterpret what you mean?" 

He nods, thoughts waning. The Uchiha are pleased. Only a couple months have passed since he joined the academy and today, he's been promoted to the graduating class. 

He had another vision that night. 

Lighting. 

Lighting.

There's a scream.

Why is Kakashi just standing there? Enemies are approaching. 

Kimaru can see clearly now why Kakashi isn't moving. His arm is lodged into someone. A killing blow. Odd...the hitai-ate the person wears is from Konoha. Then why is Kakashi-

Kimaru turns away. They look so young. 

Before everything fades, he sees Obito. He's slaughtering all the shinobi around him to reach someone. He's calling out a name. He's crying. 

'Rin.'

. . . . 

"So, you're here too?" 

Kimaru peers up, and quirks his lips a little as if trying to smile. He replies, settling down in a seat, "Yes, Hatake-san."

The two of them are the youngest within the whole class. Other academy students are attempting to hide their curious gazes that won't leave them alone. He lets them giggle and whisper. He tries to stick with Kakashi the whole lesson. 

It's target practice day, and he's left with the older students that try to belittle him every second of the way. Yet, he outperforms all of them. Hitting each dead-center with the variety of kunai and shuriken that's handed to him. He shrugs off their mocking tones that were silenced upon each throw, and walks away to see how Kakashi is doing. 

Kakashi aced it the same way, everything landing perfectly. 

He doesn't see Obito during lunch. They normally sit together, with Obito doing all the talking and Kimaru doing all the listening. It's probably since they're in different classes now. He crouches under a tree, and lays out his packed lunch. He eats silently and waits, just waits until it's all over.

He is sitting pretty far away from where the students normally gather, but the instructors don't seem to mind as long as he doesn't do anything out of place. There's a figure approaching in a slow trudge. It doesn't appear to be any of the older boys or girls in the class, surprisingly. It's Kakashi. 

He forces Kimaru to scoot over a little, making room for his own meal which consists of fish and rice. 

Kakashi doesn't say anything at first. He doesn't need to in Kimaru's opinion, it's already enough that he even chose to sit next to him. 

"It's depressing, you know? To see the only other person my age sit at the furthest corner, squatting near a tree," Kakashi mumbles, taking a bite of rice. 

Kimaru keeps quiet and nods as a thanks. He waits until the Hatake is almost finished with his food, before opening one of his containers and holding out a stick of dango. 

"Here," Kimaru spoke softly.

"Tsk," Kakashi grabs it, and Kimaru politely faces away to stare at the ground. For the split second he does, there is nothing left aside from a bare stick and the movement of chewing, or what appeared to be chewing. Kakashi and his mask.

Kimaru continues to stare at the ground. He can't bear to look up, because every time he does, all he sees is an overlapping version of Kakashi's mortified face. He flinches when he hears wind pick up, and birds that chirp. 

It reminds him of lightning. 

. . . . 

Kakashi isn't exactly sure when he first noticed it, but he was spending more and more time around Uchiha Kimaru. Almost as if the latter was able to worm his way into Kakashi's schedule. 

He'd pop up at the most random times, like when he was trying to buy groceries, or just when he was doing morning katas, or that one other time where he found the Uchiha standing in front of his compound, waiting for him so they could walk together to the academy. 

It has come to the point where he's sort of freaked. 

So when his father finally comes home from a month-long mission, he chooses a night where he seems to have relaxed enough from seemingly overexerting himself. 

They both sit at the table, eating. He takes the chance.

"Otou-san, can I ask you something?"

Sakumo perks up automatically. His son is not one to ask for help often. When he does, it either comes from a place of worry, or...

He sighs, gently laying his hand on Kakashi's head, "Of course, Kakashi. Anything you need, I'm here for you."

The older of the two Hatake, hears a small mumble back, "There's been a chakra signature following me for these past weeks."

Sakumo's eyes widened. "When did this start? Around the academy time?"

It couldn't be Anbu, right? They were never that blatant about their whereabouts. Even for possible new recruits. His son is still too young, not even out of the academy, not even a genin. 

"No, no. It's not that. I know who it is. They're not exactly trying to hide that they follow me. It's a classmate of mine." Kakashi rolls his eyes at the thought. 

Kakashi continues on, "He's been trailing me for some time, since I started eating lunch together with him. He tries to play off his appearances as a coincidence, but he's way too oblivious if he thinks that he can out-sense me." 

He chews, "He'll come around, and stay quiet, yet follow me around like he's lost. I mean I'm not complaining. I've gotten at least a mountain of free dango from him the past couple of days. If he wants to say something though, he might as well come out and say it."

Sakumo sags in relief. "Kakashi, I think what he wants is to be your friend."

"Is being a friend having like a second shadow around you all day, because heck, if it is. I don't really want one."

"Comrades are important. Friends, even more so. I think you should give him a chance. I actually haven't seen you so riled up since Obito," Sakumo chuckles. 

Kakashi aims a glare at his father. 

"Now, now. Don't get like that with me. You are the one who decided to eat lunch with him," Sakumo smiles even wider, "Didn't you say that this all started with that? I didn't know my son was so sociable."

"I only did that, since he was the only other person there my age. He looks like he's gonna sulk the very moment I don't keep an eye on him!" Kakashi grumbles a bit. 

Sakumo's little teasing gets cut off. "Kakashi? Your age? You're in the graduating class, the only person I can think about that's also the same age is..."

"Uchiha Kimaru," they both say in unison. 

"Yeah, that's him," Kakashi mutters before going back to his dinner. They don't say anything else related, for the rest of the night. 

. . . . 

Kimaru stares at the ceiling. It's quiet as he has just woken up. The sun is beginning to rise, and the Uchiha compound is already rustling with quiet footsteps. He gets ready, murmurs a goodbye and leaves. 

It's the next day, and the next day, and the next day. He feels like he's stuck in a loop. Like he can't escape, but it's only the start of it all. The academy isn't bad. He lets the others talk over him, brag in his face, and glare. They can say all they want about the stuck-up Uchiha and the 'stick up their asses'. Their comments aren't entirely otherworldly. He's heard them plenty of times. 

Today though, he decides to wait outside the Hatake compound. Kimaru hasn't told anyone of this, with the possibility of the Uchiha clan wanting to bring Kakashi into the whole political mixup, or use him as a measuring stick for Kimaru's growth. 

He wants to have enough, to defy the clan and do what he wants. He sees what the clan does, and allows it, cause in the end, what can he really do?

For once he understands greatly, and is sort of glad he isn't in Itachi's position. 

...who is Itachi again?

He hadn't wanted to forget, so he tried to sketch. The images are only from dreams so the sharingan can only do so much, but that's what the drawing is for, he's going to have to preserve the memories some way or the other. 

His mother sings praises to him when she sees the sketch book. He starts to hide it of course. No need for anyone else to see the pictures in there. The more that is flipped through, the more concern would be shown if anyone saw. 

It's not Kimaru's fault he can't control which memories he wants to see and which he doesn't. He'd rather have that but can't. There are many battles, wars, and deaths. He has yet to see his own. 

It is not Kakashi that comes out to greet Kimaru, but his father. The only reason he remembers Sakumo is that he appeared in a memory. The Hatake was getting heavily shamed upon. For what? He doesn't know. 

Kimaru bows politely, and asks for Kakashi. 

Sakumo just smiles a little, and says that his son will be out soon. Kimaru notices that Sakumo is wearing his gear, jounin vest, and all. A very beautiful blade hung from his shoulder as well. Beautiful indeed. 

Kimaru's eyes blank, and he sees an overlapping image of Sakumo on the floor, with a blade through his stomach. He hears lightning, thunder in the background. Kimaru is coming to hate lightning. 

(He'll find out soon enough that his main chakra affinity is lightning.)

Kakashi finally comes, and he's shook out of his trance. 

The end of the academy day is approaching. 

"Gather up," the instructor peers over all of them before going on, "The next couple of days are going to be a survival exercise. Make sure to get your guardian to sign the slip, giving you permission to participate."

He starts handing out the papers. "Get them in by next morning. There's also a list of gear you will need. For now, you're all dismissed. Any questions, you'll have to come to me about it." 

The students skurry out, and Kimaru trails after Kakashi, who had crumbled along with shoved the slip into his pocket. 

"What do you think it's going to be like?" he whispers, not sure if Kakashi is going to respond, or pull an Uchiha and grunt at him. 

"Easy. I've already gone out with otou-san on a few training occasions when he had time. He forced me to sleep in a tree the first day," Kakashi tilted his head to the side a little and deadpanned, "One that was broken, and there was also heavy rain that day."

Kimaru smiles at that. 

"I haven't been out too much. The clan doesn't like its members wandering too far, you could say," Kimaru sighs. 

Kakashi just huffs a little, and offers, "You know, it wouldn't hurt to disappear for a while. I'm pretty sure you caused a stir when you stalked me for a couple weeks on end."

Kimaru's eyes widen, and squawks, "What?!"

Kakashi just rolls his eyes, shrugging at the unusual display of emotion, "Otou-san wanted me to invite you over for dinner. Wanted to properly meet you and not just see you waiting outside our compound almost everyday." 

Kimaru splutters, "We already met."

Kakashi sighs, "I said 'properly', Uchiha. Call it whatever you want, but lightly smiling and greeting people is not a proper introduction. Well at least, not a thorough one." 

Kimaru is still a little taken aback. "Thanks, Kakashi."

"Whatever." 

2,024 words

: chapter two end :


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